John Thompson says it's an injustice that Rollie Massimino not in Hall of Fame

SAN ANTONIO — John Thompson, the legendary Georgetown basketball coach, said it’s a “tremendous injustice’’ that former Villanova coach Rollie Massimino has not been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Former Georgetown Hoyas head coach John Thompson.

Massimino’s 1985 team beat Georgetown in the NCAA championship game still considered arguably the greatest upset in college basketball history.

“If his win is the greatest upset ever, why isn’t he in the Hall of Fame?’’ Thompson, working here as an analyst for Westwood One, said Monday as tip-off for the Michigan-Villanova title game approached. “That was something I used to kid him about. But this is still something I know he wanted, he deserved and I think it hurt him, the fact it didn’t happen.”

Massimino died Aug. 30 at the age of 82.

“I miss my buddy,’’ Thompson said. “I would be on his butt. Because he and I talked a whole lot …

“He would have enjoyed this (Villanova playing for its second championship in three years.) I’m certain he would have enjoyed this.’’

Thompson said great shooting is the similarity he sees between Massimino’s championship team in 1985 and this year’s Villanova team. Villanova shot 22-for-28 from the floor in its 66-64 victory over Georgetown April 1 1985. This year’s Villanova team is shooting 40.1 percent from 3-point range, 12th best in the country.

“This team is unique in a sense that they epitomize what a coach wants a team to do,’’ Thompson said. “They play unselfishly, they play hard. And it’s not a lot of foolishness going on out there on the court.’’